Godley Station School unveiled to oohs, ahs

As Savannah-Chatham schools officials unveiled the sleek, sprawling Godley Station School on Friday morning, it quickly became apparent taxpayers have gotten their penny's worth.

The colossal complex, tucked amid the pines and oaks off Benton Boulevard in northwestern Chatham County, soon will house pre-kindergartners through eighth-graders. It marks the first of eight schools constructed through the education sales penny tax approved by voters in 2006.

"It's great - I wish we had this when we were in school," said Barry Allen, whose 6-year-old daughter Baryn Allen is a first-grade enrollee. "It's been a long time coming. We drive by here every day."

Added Baryn, who wielded the oversized scissors in the ribbon cutting: "I can't wait to see the classes!"

Inside, the cavernous halls echoed with oohs and ahs as school board members, district staff, area dignitaries and a handful of students and parents toured the 167,142-square-foot building.

The corridors are sure to bustle on the morning of Aug. 30, when some 1,100 students - residents of Pooler, Port Wentworth and Savannah - arrive for the first day of school.

Superintendent Thomas Lockamy said plans for the land had initially called for separate elementary and middle schools. The K-8 plan was hatched to ensure relationships among children, parents and teachers remain intact throughout primary schooling.

"That's what people want," Lockamy said, citing gains in the students' behavioral and academic progress and favorable feedback in a recent local survey. The K-8 model, he said, is "growing like wildfire."

Mark Bell, a science teacher at Godley Station, also touted its merits.

"For a lot of students, elementary to middle school is a rough transition," Bell said as he stood outside his pristine new classroom. "This cuts down on transition problems, and there's strong parent support the whole time students are here."

Public schools Operations Chief Otis Brock said the project cost roughly $28,100,000, well below the $28,875,000 originally budgeted.

Joe Buck, school board president, said those extra dollars can be used as needed within the district.

The Godley Station School is "absolutely beautiful," Buck said. "Some real thought was given to the design, which will help facilitate learning."

The school features a 16,000-square-foot physical education facility with a full gym, a 5,500-square-foot media center, four computer labs and two pre-kindergarten classrooms with a dedicated playground.

Principal Allison Schuster-Jones called it a "cheerful, joyful" and safe school, noting a security system that automatically locks doors during school days.

"It's so amazing to see it all come together," Schuster-Jones said. "The building is warm and inviting, and children will be excited to be here - excited about learning."